Holiday From Hell
by CheddarFetta
Summary: When on a perfect holiday with their families, Cleo & Lewis' daughter disappears under Rikki & Zane's watch. With the worst outcome that she drowned, there's no sign of her. Will they find her? Regardless of the outcome, will Cleo ever forgive Rikki?
1. A New Beginning

**Tell me off! I really shouldn't have uploaded this! I've got way too many stories I should work on & start. This was a totally random idea that came to me while I was away. By the way it's set 4 years after the s3 final. It's based on my holiday, sort of, but thankfully the children we went with on my holiday were okay! **

**Let me know what you thought of the idea & chapter and if you like it I'll put up a bit more! **

**Enjoy & have a good day :)**

_**Summary: Four years after series 3, the girls are married and starting famillies. Together they go on what seems like a perfect holiday, until one day under Rikki & Zane's watch, Cleo & Lewis' daughter disappears. She's nowhere to be seen and the worst, but seemingly most likely chance is that she drowned. Will they find her in time? Will Cleo ever forgive Rikki after this, regardless of the outcome?**_

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Chapter One

_Rikki's POV_

"Happy anniversary Wifey" Zane said as I woke up.

I opened my eyes and saw Zane was sitting up in bed, holding a tray with a very decorative breakfast.

"Good morning. What's this?" I asked, kissing him, but with furrowed eyebrows from my question.

"Never seen breakfast before have you?" Zane said, smiling cheekily.

"Not one from you! Did you make it?" I asked as I moved the pillows to an upward position as Zane handed me the tray.

"Babe, we've been married for a year and together for however many years before that. You should know as well as the back of your hand the fact that I don't cook!" Zane said making me smile.

The one time Zane had attempted cooking, that's if you call sandwich making cooking, he failed miserably. He cut himself several times in the process and almost chopped his finger off!

"This is coming from a guy that owns a cafe! I'd hate to see your Home Ec grades in high school..." I said jokingly.

"You'd hate to see any grades of mine in high school!" He said and I nodded, knowing that mine were no better!

* * *

I was eating the ham & cheese croissant and drinking the coffee that Zane 'provided' when he scooted closer to me.

He played with a few of my curls and asked "What time do you want to leave today?"

I thought about it for a few seconds and said "I don't really know. How many hours were you planning on driving for today?"

"If we drive for say 9 hours today and 5 hours tomorrow, then we should get to the house at around 1:30 tomorrow."

"Okay, so leave in an hour?"

"Yeah. Is everything packed?"

I nodded. "Yup, I got most of it done last night."

"Sweet. Are we travelling with the others or separate?"

"I think we're starting off together, but depending on how the kids are, we might split up."

"No problem."

"I can't wait to see them! I saw the girls yesterday, and Matt is getting so big and Cleo said that Zoe has been getting really confident in the water and she stands on her own in their spa now" I said, excited over the achievements of my best friends children. The closest kids I had to nieces, nephews or even my own children.

I put my tray on my bedside table, next to the photo of Zane & I on our wedding day, and Zane snuggled closer.

"Do you want kids?" he said as he played with my hand.

"Well yeah, I suppose, someday. What about you?"

"Yeah, I love kids and Matt & Zo are adorable, but I'm just not sure whether I'm cut out to be a father..."

"I'm sure you are Zane. Matt & Zoe both adore you. Particularly Zoe! The first name she said other than 'Mum' & 'Dad' was 'Zane'... however she said it!"

I watched my husband smile at the memory. He was as proud as punch when she said his name before Bella's, Will's or my own.

"Do _you_ want kids?" he asked me, still beaming.

"Yeah, I think it'd be nice having a family with you."

"So when?"

"I don't know" I said, kissing my husband's cheek and getting out of bed, ending our conversation, because I really didn't know what to say next.

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_Bella's POV _

"Will! Have you put Matt's car seat into your car yet?" I asked my husband of just over a year as I walked into the kitchen of our house where he was.

"Yeah I did it this morning" he said as he gazed down on our son.

Will was holding our 2 month old boy, Matt, in front of him. Matt was lying on top of his arms, with Will's palms holding his head, and Matt's feet were pushing against Will's chest.

I walked past my boys, leaning down and kissing my son's forehead and reaching up and kissing my husband's lips.

I stood next to Will and looked down at Matt as he was doing too.

Even at this age he looked so much like Will. I'd seen photos of when Will was a baby too and they were seriously identical.

"He looks so much like you" I said smiling, and Will smiled too.

Everyone says that to him, but it still must be nice & special hearing that your son, your own little human, looks like you.

"I hope he has your personality" Will said, this time making me smile.

I kissed my husband once again, before continuing to collect the last minute stuff for the holiday.

I was about to walk out of the kitchen, before I stopped, remembering a question I needed to ask my husband.

"What time did Matt wake up this morning?"

Will normally gets up for Matt in the morning if he wakes around 5, 6 or later, because he's used to early mornings from when he would train. That way it gave me a bit more sleep after waking up for feeding Matt in the nights and it also gave Will a bit of time with Matt on his own too.

"About quarter past seven"

"Okay" I said, trying to mentally calculate what time he was due for his next feed and then sleep and how long he'd go for in the car.

"Oh by the way, Sophie called this morning"

"And?"

"She was just checking up on how things were going and she said that she hopes we have a good time away."

"That's nice of her."

Although Sophie and I still aren't best friends or anything, we do get on better than in the past. After graduation she realized that I came as part of the package with Will and then when we got engaged, things were set in stone that I was in for the long haul and that we could either hate each other or just put up with each other for Will's sake. Then when Matt was born a couple of months ago, she was besotted with her newborn and only nephew, despite who his Mother is.

I walked out of the kitchen, through the hall, into mine & Will's room that we were sharing with Matt for the time being. I grabbed a few pillows for, my bag with Matt's stuff and a few other bits and pieces, taking them out to the car.

I was a bit nervous about how Matt would go because it was his first trip away from home and Sydney is quite a drive down from the Gold Coast.

We've only just gotten on top of things since he was born and he was starting to get into a bit of a routine.

I'm sure we'd be fine, but you know how you just worry about these things, and being a mother, you just want your baby to be happy and settled.

If Matt wasn't happy, then it would be one _long_ drive.

* * *

_Cleo's POV_

"And where are we going Zo?" Lewis asked our 2 year old daughter Zoe for about the hundredth time this morning while he was putting her shoes on.

"Shidney!" Zoe exclaimed, pronouncing 'Sydney' in her own little way.

"That's right Princess! Cleo! Did you hear that?" Lewis, my husband of almost 3 years asked me.

"Yeah I did!" I said, trying not to let my annoyance seep into my voice.

Since discovering Zoe's mispronunciation of 'Sydney', Lewis had been repeatedly asking her the same question, repeatedly cooing over her every time she said it wrong.

On top of that, every time he checked whether I'd heard it or not too! Normally I didn't mind, but today I was really stressed trying to sort out and organise everything for when we would leave anytime now.

I put some fruit for on the trip into my bag and walked over to my husband and daughter.

Lewis was a great father, and was absolutely, 100% besotted with Zoe.

"Come here sweetie and I'll do your hair" I said lifting Zoe up and taking her to her room.

I sat her on the change table, and gently brushed her blonde curls, then forming them into two piggy tails and tying them up.

"There we are!" I said picking her up again.

On the way back out to Lewis and the living area, Zoe moved her arms around, making it harder for me to carry her, while she played with her new little piggy tails.

Zoe's always been into hair ever since she was a baby, liking to play with, touch or hold the hair of whoever was holding her. Nowadays, she likes to have a say in what I do with her hair and she chooses which clips, hair bands or hair ties I use for her. She didn't today, but normally she likes to see a 'Mra' as she calls it, or mirror and see her hair once I do it. She was very much a little girly-girl like me and Dad says that Zoe reminds him so much of me at that age.

Although Zoe has no siblings at the moment, they are part of the plan for the future. But for now, the 3 of us; Lewis, me and our daughter made up our little family.

I kissed my daughters blonde head, before passing her to her father.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Lewis asked me.

"It's easier for me to do it, rather than have to explain it all to you, but thanks babe. Just keep Zo occupied and make sure she doesn't get to stuff that I've packed" I said, getting a nod from my husband in response.

I was folding Zoe's blanket as I watched my husband and daughter walk out of the room, holding hands. I smiled at the precious sight, watching the love and connection between the boy & girl I love.

I couldn't wait to get away and catch up with my best friends and their families. The holiday should be nice, relaxing and exactly what we all needed.

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**So there's the first chapter! What did you think? Should I continue? Let me know and I'll follow with what you guys think! **

**Have an awesome day :)**


	2. Changes In Time

**Hey everyone! Thanks to the reviewers of chapter one. I'm glad you liked the start and the idea! Sorry it's taken me so long to get Chapter 2 up - that's the downside of writing so many stories at once! **

**This chapters from Bella's POV because in the next few chapters, it will mostly be Rikki, Cleo, Lewis & Zane centred during Zoe's disappearance. In the aftermath you might get more of Bella or Will. Might, we'll see how we go. The drama increases as of the next chapter as this is chapter is still showing the differences between where H2o ended and my story, 5 years later. **

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter and I would greatly appreciate a review from you. **

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**Chapter 2: Changes In Time**

_Bella's POV_

As I stepped out of the car door, I stretched my legs as far as they could go. Driving for so long was uncomfortable enough, but on top of that my back was sore from the constant twisting around to either rock Matt, put his dummy in his mouth or settle him.

We'd spilt the 13 hour drive over two days and stayed in a town halfway between The Gold Coast and Sydney. Cleo & Lewis, Rikki & Zane and Will & I had all started off together, but we had to have several stops for me to feed Matt, so the others continued on. Then when I'd texted Cleo last night, she said that they stopped at a park for Zoe to have a run around because she was getting ratty and grumpy in the car, but Rikki & Zane had gone ahead too.

Despite that, we'd all arrived at the holiday house within half an hour of each other.

* * *

When I got out, the first thing I did was look at Will. He nodded and I understood what he meant, even though no words were spoken. That little 'thing' was our way of communicating about which one of us would get Matt out of the car.

As Will got Matt out, I thought about it's funny how times change.

This time, 5 years ago, I would've been a carefree teenager. The first thing I would've checked out was the beach or house, the first thing I would unpack would be my camera, beach towel or phone. Now I was a mother & wife, looking at my husband to see who'd be unpacking our son. Never would a 17 year old me have thought this would be my life at age 22! Yet, saying that, I wouldn't change a thing about it.

Cleo & Lewis got married young & engaged even younger, with Lewis proposing just days after Cleo turned 18, although their actual wedding was 2 years later when Lewis returned from America with his degree. Zoe was born when they were only 20 and I don't know how they coped & juggled with having her so young, Lewis' burgeoning career and being newlyweds.

Rikki & Zane continued with their on-again, off-again relationship for about a year after graduation, when all of a sudden, they both seemed to grow up. It was really bizarre, but hey, whatever happened worked because they've been together since.

As for Will & I, we'd stayed together ever since the beach party and we'd gotten married about 4 months before Rikki and Zane did. We've only been married for just over a year, and already we have a son. We'd been married for barely half a year when I found out I was pregnant, and trust me it was a big shock, but we managed, and we still are.

* * *

We were the last to arrive at the house, with the tell-tale signs of the Bennett's & McCartney's cars parked out front of the two-storey holiday house already.

I was getting some of the important stuff out of the car like my handbag, Will's wallet, our phones and the keys and Will was a few steps ahead of me as we walked up to the front door.

With his free hand Will knocked and seconds later Zane opened the door welcoming us in.

"Hey, happy anniversary for yesterday mate" Will said as he passed Zane.

"Thanks. Wow! Matt's grown so much in the last 4 days even!" Zane replied, peering over to the little boy in my husband's arms.

"Tell me about it!"

"Hi Bella" Zane said as I walked past him, into the nautical-themed holiday house.

"Hey."

We walked through the passage, passing several doors into the lounge room where the others were sitting and talking.

Cleo & Lewis were cuddling on the couch, laughing at Zoe who was forcing Rikki to hold her doll. They turned around and saw us, getting up and coming over to us.

"Hey guys! How was your trip?" they all said different variations of, at the same time.

"Long, but we're here now."

* * *

5 minutes later, Will & I finally managed to sit down and the group of us sat there talking about the trip, right when Zoe announced "Aunty Rikki have baby!"

Awkwardly, all eyes turned to Rikki who was going horrendously red.

I was the first to speak, excitedly asking "Are you pregnant!"

"No! Before you got here, we were talking about how Zane & I have been _THINKING_ about having a baby now that we've been married for a year and the cafe's going well. I tell ya, you have to watch out what you say around toddlers!"

After a few seconds of more awkward silence, we all started laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"I seriously thought you might've been pregnant!"

Rikki gasped. "Me? Pregnant! Seriously, can you imagine me pregnant? Besides, I would be the most self-absorbed, grumbling, whingeing pregnant woman ever. Zane would shoot me before I'd have a chance to give birth the kid!"

"Not true" Zane added from the other side of the room where the boys had now separated into a little group, and were in an ever-so-manly-way, cooing over Zoe and Matt.

"Haha. Anyway, what were you two planning on doing for dinner? I can't be bothered cooking tonight after driving for so long" Rikki asked Cleo & I.

"I was just going to pick something quick and easy up for Will & I. You, Cleo?"

"Yeah same."

"Why don't we go out for tea?" Zane added again.

I glanced over at 'the boys corner' again and now saw Zane holding my baby boy, Will over-protectively instructing him how to hold Matt right, Zoe sitting on Lewis' lap and she was leaning over and gently patting Matt's head.

I noticed how much our lives had changed in the few years.

This time 5 years ago, us girls would've been chatting about Mako, the tentacle, our tails or our boyfriends. Now we were Mothers & Wives talking about what we were doing for dinner!

I'm not exactly sure what the guys would've been talking about, but I know for certain, it definitely wouldn't have been about how to hold a baby!

The difference was almost laughable!

"Hey! Hey? Earth to Bella" Rikki said waving her hand in front of my face.

"What? Huh?"

"Matt not been letting you two get enough sleep hey?" Cleo asked.

"No, no, it's not that, I was just thinking how our lives have changed in the last five years. I mean, there's no way in hell that Zane would've been holding a baby, Lewis wouldn't have been holding a toddler and neither would Will be teaching Zane how to hold a baby properly."

"That's funny, but so damn true!"

"I agree!" Cleo said as the group of us 3 started laughing.

"What's going on over here?" Lewis asked as he walked over and passed Zoe to Cleo.

"Don't you wanna know!" Rikki teased.

"Yeah... that's why I asked. By the way, she's got a dirty nappy Cleo."

"You're her Dad, why don't you change it?" Rikki asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"Um, gross!"

"He's a total princess, trust me!" Cleo added as she stood up and started walking upstairs to her family's room.

"I should've gotten you that tiara instead of Zoe!" Rikki said as she poked Lewis' shoulder.

"Hey! I'm innocent!"

"So your an innocent princess hey?"

"Not what I meant!"

The rest of us were laughing at the two who were still constantly bickering. I guess one thing hadn't changed in those 5 years!

* * *

Later on, we went to a restaurant together in town.

It was a small restaurant, but was family-friendly and the location was great, overlooking the water. Our table was outside with only a road and 2 footpaths separating us from the water.

I watched & listened to my close friends discussing the menu and what they were ordering. Rikki was currently commentating on the entire menu, giving her opinions on every meal and criticizing the strange names, but no-one seemed to be listening. Zane, Will & Lewis were chatting, but I couldn't hear about what and Cleo was asking Zoe what she wanted for tea.

I looked down at the sleeping baby boy in my arms and realized, yep, our lives were perfect.

In this moment anyway.

If only our lives had stayed like this, we wouldn't have had to go through the pain & torment in the coming days.

If only.

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**So finally there's the next chapter! **

**Next chapter will be the beginning of the storm where Rikki & Zane babysit Zoe. If you want to read it, then review this chapter! I'll assume you don't if I don't get many reviews. I really appreciate reviews and they take next to no time compared to how long it takes me to write a chapter. Moral of the story, reviews are easy and I love them. Lecture over! Haha **

**Have a good day :) xx**


	3. Sleep, Cower, Panic

**Hey all. Thank you very much to all my reviewers from the last two chapters. I'm really glad you like the story so far! Hope this chapter keeps up your enjoyment. Had fun with this one first cause there's a bit of Zikki and second cause by the end of the chapter, the story will really be starting. I hope you like it! **

**Really would appreciate more reviews and feedback on what you thought of it. Thank you!  
Enjoy the chap, CheddarFetta xx**

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**Chapter 3: Sleep, Cower, Panic**

Rikki's POV

Yawning as I walked out of the bedroom, my bubble of silence popped with the noises of a crying baby, the TV, talking and a boiling kettle.

"It's so loud!" I mumbled to myself, rubbing my eyes and resisting the temptation to cover my ears.

"Good afternoon" Will announced from the breakfast bar in the kitchen, where he was holding a coffee cup, next to Bella who was preoccupied, rocking her squirming, unsettled and crying son.

Looking at the clock on the wall, I realized Will was just teasing, although it was late in the morning.

Leaning against the wall and temporarily closing my eyes, adjusting to non-sleep mode, I felt someone come up behind me and hold me from the waist. Even though I knew who it was, I turned around to see my drowsy looking husband, resting his head on my shoulder.

As Zane & stood there leaning on each other in the middle of the morning havoc, the noises began to increase. The coffee machine was turned on, which sounded like it was dying, Matt's crying turned to screaming and Zoe began singing along with the song that was playing on the TV.

Groaning, I fled the scene, back to our temporary bedroom with Zane following close behind.

I flopped down on the bed and Zane walked in, closing and leaning against the door.

"You're really not a morning person!"

I awkwardly craned my neck up from the pillow it had sunk into, grabbing & throwing it at Zane.

"Tell me something I don't know you idiot!"

"Watch out world" Zane mumbled before walking out of the room and closing the door, sheltering me from the noise, behind the door.

Sighing & flopping my head back down, I closed my eyes, hoping for at least a little bit more sleep.

* * *

Around half an hour or so later, I started awakening again from my power nap.

Feeling a bit better, I opened my eyes again, got off the bed and walked out of the room.

This time when I walked out, there was a lot less noise I realized as I scanned the room.

Zoe was sitting on the floor by the lounge quietly playing with her doll. Cleo was lounging on the couch closest to Zoe with her feet propped up. Lewis was sitting at the end of Cleo's feet on the other side of the couch as he read the newspaper and drunk a coffee. Zane had taken Bella & Will's spot on the breakfast bar where he was biting into toast smothered with a brown coloured spread.

I noticed the absence of the Benjamin's and as I walked over to Zane, I swiftly took the piece of toast he was holding with one hand. After biting in and swallowing my mouthful, I saw the un-impressed glare Zane was giving me.

"What? You're my hubby. It's your job to provide for me!" I joked with a sweet smile, just getting an eye roll back in return.

Sitting down next to Zane and eating more of his toast, I went to grab Zane's coffee to wash the toast down with, but he was too quick.

"Not the coffee! That's just mean" Zane warned.

Letting my bottom lip droop down and getting my Bambi eyes out, I tapped Zane on the shoulder again who had turned his eyes away from me.

"Pretty please?"

Sighing, Zane passed me the coffee cup. "Fine. One mouthful. No backwash!"

Beaming, I sculled as much as I could before Zane tried to surgically remove the cup from my hands.

A few seconds later, Zane realized I was sculling and tried to stop me. Not wanting coffee all over my pyjamas & a mermaid tail, I handed the cup back to Zane which he looked into.

"RIKKI!" he exclaimed, with an annoyed look on his face at the lack of remaining coffee.

Smirking and kissing his cheek, I got up to get myself a glass of juice. The one thing Zane's breakfast didn't have.

Following me into the kitchen, Zane gathered the plate from his toast and coffee cup, putting them into the sink.

"Surprisingly, I'm still hungry. I wonder why!" Zane joked.

"It's called self sacrifice."

"It's called theft."

"Funny" I said sarcastically as I scanned the room. "Hey where are Bella & Will?"

"Matt was getting really grumpy and they couldn't settle him, so they went out for a drive."

"Oh okay."

"Yeah apparently they were up most of last night with him crying 'cause they couldn't get him to sleep. I slept right through it!"

"So did I. Anyway, what are you guys up to today?" I said walking over to the couches.

Looking at each other, Cleo & Lewis shrugged.

"We had no plans, why?"

"Just wondering. I like to keep up with these things ya know, cause if there _was_ something planned, hubby over there would forget to tell me!" I said pointing to Zane.

Laughing, Cleo replied. "Oh actually I need to pick a couple of things I forgot to bring and a couple of things I was gonna get down here up from the supermarket so I'll do that in a bit. Do you want us to pick up anything for you guys while we're there?"

"No, we're all good. I picked some stuff up yesterday when we were in town before we got here" I said as I sat on the arm of the lounge next to Cleo.

"Alright" Cleo said to me, before she spoke to Lewis. "How long before you wanna go out?"

His blonde head pricking up from his newspaper, Lewis answered his wife's question. "I'm ready to go now if you want."

Nodding, Cleo got up from the lounge and picked up Zoe. "Let's go for a drive Missy."

Trying to squirm out from her grasp of her Mum's arms, Zoe started whingeing. "Don't wanna go car!"

Sighing and putting her daughter on the floor, Cleo tried to reason with and bribe Zoe who had resumed playing with her doll. "Come on sweetie. If you be a good girl for Mummy & Daddy at the shops, we'll get you a Kinder Surprise. Okay?"

Shaking her head, blonde hair cascaded all about.

Biting her lip, returning to her normal height, Cleo sighed again. "Maybe we should wait until she goes down for her nap and then we can put her in the car, Lewis."

Nodding, Lewis said "Yeah, but what about on the way home? She'll throw a tantrum then too."

Standing up as I thought of a solution to the problem, I spoke up. "Zane & I can look after her here if you want."

Looking at Lewis silently, Cleo smiled. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Yeah of course not. We've looked after Zoe before, piece of cake" Zane added confidently.

"Well that'd be great. Thanks guys!" Lewis added, smiling at the resolution.

"Well in that case, do you want to leave soon?" Cleo asked Lewis who nodded and got off the couch.

Smirking, Lewis objected "Nah, we should wait till Zoe's in a bratty mood and then ditch her with Zane & Rikki."

Hitting Lewis on the shoulder, I pouted. "**We're** doing **you** a favour!"

"Yeah Lewis, don't be mean to the babysitters!" Cleo added, before trotting upstairs to the second storey of the holiday house where her own and Lewis' along with Zoe's bedrooms and the small lighthouse are.

Just as soon as Cleo, got up the stairs, she was bolting back down them, grabbing Lewis' hand and dragging him up the stairs along with her, all without one word.

I looked at Zane weirdly and I was met with his own puzzled expression.

"What just happened there?" I asked.

"I don't wanna know!" Zane said smirking cynically.

"Oh gross Zane!" I said hitting him, knowing what his sick mind & mouth were referring to.

Chuckling, Zane walked off in the direction of our room, while I flopped on the couch keeping one eye on Zoe who was engrossed in her doll, and the other scanning through either Bella or Cleo's gossip magazine.

About 2 minutes later, I was half-heartedly looking over the best dresses at an awards night when Cleo & Lewis came back down the stairs.

"You're back" I stated obviously, not looking up.

"Yeah and we're gone again" Lewis replied, making me look up and see the couple holding hands, Cleo carrying her handbag along with another black bag.

Walking over to me, Cleo dropped the black bag onto my lap unexpectedly.

"Everything you'll need for her will be in there. There's a snack, there's clothes in case she gets those dirty, there's nappies so you don't have to take her to the toilet, there's a couple of blankets. Basically anything else you might need. If you have any problems or questions, just call me or Lewis."

Taking a look inside the bag, I had to fight with the zipper that was forced shut. When I eventually managed to open it, I gasped. "Hell Cleo! All of this stuff will be enough for Zoe until she's 6!"

"Better safe than sorry" Cleo shrugged.

"Less is more" I said, forcing the bag shut before sticking it next to the lounge.

"Alright, ready to go Lewis?" Cleo hollered into the kitchen.

"Mm-hmm" Lewis affirmed, walking into the room.

"Okay... bye Sweetie" Cleo said crouching down and hugging Zoe who couldn't care less.

Planting a kiss on her blonde curls, Cleo lectured softly. "Be a good girl for Uncle Zane & Aunty Rikki, okay?"

Getting a nod in response, Cleo passed her to Lewis next to her.

Giving his little girl a hug, Lewis held her small body in his arms. "Be good Princess. Love you."

Zoe kissed her Dad's cheek, making him smile, before he put her back on the ground where she resumed playing with her doll.

"Alright have fun!" I said smiling.

"Oh yeah heaps. Food shopping's our favourite thing to do!" Cleo exclaimed sarcastically, slowly walking out from the lounge room into the hall leading to the front door, kitchen, downstairs bathroom and both Will & Bella's and mine & Zane's rooms.

Walking behind them, Zane emerged from our room too.

"We'll try not to be too long and if there are any problems, just call us" Cleo reminded.

"Chill Cleo! We've got it covered!" I reassured her.

"Alright" Cleo replied hesitantly as she walked down the 3 stairs off the balcony onto the grassy front yard, followed by Lewis, headed for their car.

Opening the door, Cleo hesitated again before getting in, I think she stopped herself from reminding us about something else, but she continued to get in the car and as Lewis reversed and drove off, she waved.

Sighing, I felt Zane take hold of my hand, leading us to walk back into the holiday house together.

We walked through the hall, passing the bedrooms and kitchen into the lounge room again where Zoe was now transfixed with watching the fish aquarium in the corner of the room.

"So Zo..." I said, not realizing my accidental rhyming until after I said it. "Whatya wanna do?"

"Tee!" Zoe said turning around and smiling.

Knowing what 'tee' meant in her language, I picked up Zoe, carrying her to the lounge and sitting her down next to my husband who was going through messages on his phone.

I walked over to the TV, turning it onto the same kids channel that Zoe was watching earlier. I walked back over and sat down on the other side of Zane who put his arms around me almost instantaneously. Kissing my cheek, I relaxed and rested my head on his taller shoulder, watching the stupidness of the kiddy show.

"Wow! That drop of magic oil made the whole town better! Thank you Eliza!" A fluffy, colourful creature of some sort said in a imbecile-like tone on the TV.

Zane snorted. "Whatever. Kids shows are so corny that it's actually funny to watch."

"You can say that again!" I agreed.

There was a pause before Zane started gently playing with my wrist.

"How long before you want kids?" Zane asked me again... for the second time in under a week.

My heartbeat raised just a little. I was starting to feel the pressure; not feeling 100% ready, or certain that I wanted to take that big step in our lives yet.

"Um... I'm not sure yet" I said softly, cowering a bit.

"Why? What's the problem?" Zane said, sitting up a bit more.

"Uh... I..." I started saying, before Zane's phone went off in his hand with an incoming call.

Thankfully, I took a small, unnoticeable sigh of relief, before he got up, saying "Hold that thought. Just give me two minutes."

As he left the room, I relaxed a little, but I was left pondering the question 'Why was I so hesitant?' I mean money's far from a problem, I love Zane to death and I didn't even give a second thought about having kids with anyone but him, so why was there something stopping me? What was it stopping me? Why did I feel like this?

Sighing, I stood up and asked "Want a banana Zoe?"

Nodding her small blonde head, but not looking up from the TV, I walked into the kitchen, grabbed one of the bananas from the fruit bowl and peeled it apart, chopping it into about a dozen pieces. I grabbed a bowl and put the chopped fruit into it, walking out of the kitchen back into the lounge room.

Zoe was too short for me to see her head overtop the back of the lounge, so I walked around and saw that the seat that was occupied just minutes ago was now empty.

Looking around the room, I called out "Zoe. Zoe?"

There was no sign of her in the room, so I checked in the laundry which was the closest room to lounge room which was Zoe-less too.

I would've noticed her walking past the kitchen I thought, as I walked upstairs to Cleo & Lewis room, still calling her name.

I checked all around their room including their ensuite and under the bed and there wasn't a single trace or clue of the little girl that I was starting to worry about.

I contemplated checking the lighthouse, but the door was locked and firmly shut. There's no way in hell that a two year old would be able to find the key, open the lock, reach the tall door handle and push the heavy metal door which even I would've had to put muscle into.

There's no way.

I rushed downstairs still calling out to Zoe as I felt my heartbeat raise rapidly.

Zane walked into the lounge room again and seeing the growing worry on my face asked "What's wrong."

I was beginning to panic as the sickening feeling reached my stomach, making my insides twist & churn in fear.

"I can't find Zoe."

* * *

**Uh-Oh! Bit of a cliffy, but be warned, it gets worse and more edgy. Where's Zoe? How did she disappear so fast? Will Zane & Rikki find Zoe? **

**Please, please review & then I'll update the story. **

**Thanks, and have a good day :) **


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